Who should I contact with my issue?

MPs and members of the Lords can usually only help with issues that are the responsibility of the UK Parliament. Often the right person to contact will be a local councillor, the Citizens’ Advice Bureau or an ombudsman. Depending on the issue, if you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you may need to contact your MSPs, AMs or MLAs.

When should I contact someone else first?

MPs can offer advice and assistance on matters for which the UK Parliament is responsible, such as the NHS, pensions, benefits, UK-wide tax and national insurance, immigration issues, energy, defence, and data protection. They cannot interfere in court decisions and they can't help with private disputes.

Some issues are not the direct responsibility of Parliament or government. In these instances, you should first contact either your local council or your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau before considering contacting your MP.

These are issues such as:

council tax

housing

private problems with neighbours, landlords, employers, family; or companies who have sold you faulty goods

decisions made by the courts

issues that are the responsibility of your local council such as refuse collections or street repairs.

Scotland

The Scottish Parliament deals with matters that have been devolved by the Westminster Parliament. Your MSP - Member of the Scottish Parliament - can help you if you have concerns about matters such as health services, education, justice and transport.

Northern Ireland

European Union

As a member of the European Union, the UK elects Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who can help if you have concerns about EU-wide issues such as employment and working conditions, consumer protection (e.g. roaming charges for mobile phones) and environmental standards.

When you should contact the government

If, for example, you have a question about government policies on the National Health Service, this should be directed to the government department that deals with that subject - in this case, the Department for Health.